This bag made it nice to put utensils in so they were not floating around the bag.

Some more collapsing cooking tools, small knives, collapsing chopsticks, etc.

I didn't have room for a large shovel but i did for this one.

It is a small folding shovel. I didn't use it but I would bring again.

Two very sharp knives. Only needed one and the white is corrugated plastic that keeps the blade safe.

This was my dry goods and snack bag that I kept up front with me.

I kept crackers, cereal, snack bars, etc in this bag with this collapsing dining set.

Boxed items like cereal before leaving the store parking lot I would open the box and take the contents and put into a ziplock bag. This made storage in the red bag better and kept the contents fresh.

The collapsing dining set and collapsing fork and spork fit nicely in the supplied MES bag to keep everything together.

Living in a small space the kit was nice for storage.

The collapsing dishes worked very well.

I picked up this collapsing bowel in Walmart and for the price it is great as you can use it for cereal or salad and it comes with a stored spork.

The collapsing dining set has a hard plastic bottom so you can cut meat on it. This one is soft plastic so no cutting.

When cooking in the Prius I did not use the stove, although possible I did not feel comfortable with the open flame in the small space.

I did find boiling hot water with the 12 volt heater allowed me hot food items like instant oatmeal and mac & cheese single servings where you just add water.

This thermos mug worked well for cooking 2 hot dogs by putting the hot dogs in the mug and adding boiling water and closing for 10 minutes.

I tried cooking rice in the thermos mug but it didn't work for me. I need to try instant rice next time.

There is a thermos cookbook online for those interested in cooking in the Prius with hot water. http://www.thermoscooking.com

Managing space for cooking items:

The stove and the spare butaine was stored in the trunk under the refrigerator. The cooking set and two bags were under the bed. The shape of the bags did a better job of space utilization.

If I was to cut down on some items I carried I could get rid of some utensils and the small pot.

I didn't use the small pot as I bought canned vegetables in the single serving cans so I just opened the can took the paper label off and set the can on the burner to heat. There was no reason to pour contents in the pan only to dirty it.

If I made some serious decisions and store some items where the small pot was I may be able to get down to one large bag. Thus, making room for some clothing and saving space elsewhere.

I had a fire extinguisher that was held to the seat I made behind the driver. It was available inside or by reaching in from the outside. There were not too many options for the extinguisher so it would be available and not in the way.

About Me

I retired from as
Fire Chief and Emergency Management Director for the Town of Westminster in
2014.Growing up I became an on-call
firefighter and continued in the Fire Department while I kept a full-time
career in high tech, eventually becoming the full-time Fire Chief in 1998, with
the downturn in the tech sector.

I have been
fortunate to have had many wonderful experiences working in the private sector
before my full-time employment before becoming Fire Chief/EMD. This
included being an Electronic Technician, and Manufacturing engineer for Bowmar/ALI,
Inc. Leominster/Acton MA, National Service Manager for Bruel and Kjaer
Instruments, Inc., Marlborough, MA, and Engineering Coordinator,
Manufacturing Project Manager, Group Manager, and Program Manager for Digital
Equipment Corporation/Compaq Computer Corporation, various locations in MA&
NH.

I continue to
teach Fire Science Degree Programs at Mount Wachusett Community College,
Gardner, MA, where I have been an Adjunct Professor since 2000.

I have received
degrees at the following institutions:

Lesley College; Masters of
Science in Management, January 1984

Fitchburg State College; Bachelor of Science in History, June 1979

Mount
Wachusett Community College; Associate in Electronic Engineering, June 1977.